Cardiff City keen to lure Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley back to hometown club at end of season

Joe Ledley celebrates one of his goals from midfield for Celtic (Image: SN Group)

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CARDIFF CITY are using their Celtic connections to try to lure midfielder Joe Ledley back to his hometown club.

Manager Malky Mackay, a former Celtic defender, sent the Premier League club’s chief scout Tommy Johnson – who played under six different managers at Parkhead – to run the rule over the Wales ace during Friday’s 5-0 win at Motherwell.

Ledley was one of Neil Lennon’s first signings in 2010, joining from Cardiff on a Bosman after losing out to Blackpool in the Premier League play-off final.

But with his old club finally winning promotion to the top flight last season, a return to the Cardiff City Stadium would hold more appeal for the 26-year-old.

Ledley is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to agree terms on a new deal.

Cardiff are also monitoring the progress of Dundee United teenagers Ryan Gauld and John Souttar and Johnson also took in their 4-1 win over Hearts on Saturday.

Georgios Samaras is another Celtic star in demand, with the 28-year-old Greek on big-spending MLS side Toronto FC’s wanted list.

Lennon wants to tie up the striker on a new deal as soon as possible.

But according to reports in North America he has been named as one of the Canadian side’s main summer transfer targets along with Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe and Brazilian Gilberto Oliveira.

Samaras would be free to discuss terms with MLS club Toronto from the start of next month.